Big Storms
In this Issue:
- Can Character Define the Future of Higher Education?
- Global Gauge: learn about Wake’s global initiatives and reach
- Need a new laptop for your student? Consider WakeWare
- P’30 weekly message
Last night we had some big thunderstorms come rumbling through. As we do with severe weather, we issued Wake Alerts. If your sophomores, juniors, or seniors are not on campus, they (or you) might be wondering why they would get Wake Alerts during the summer.
The reason is because we know some students are in Winston-Salem this summer: for summer school, sports teams, and/or campus employment. But there are also students who we don’t necessarily know are in town visiting friends, doing an intership, and/or working someplace locally. We’d rather cast a wide net for a safety alert (so we catch any of the students who are in town) vs. not alerting students to a potentially dangerous situation.
Now on to today’s news…
Can Character Define the Future of Higher Education?
One of the things I have been most proud of at Wake Forest in recent years is our intentional focus on integrating leadership and character into all that we do. We have a thriving Program for Leadership and Character that offers academic courses and student programs, plus a certificate program for faculty and staff (that I just completed – it was awesome), and more.
Wake is recognized as a national leader in this space, and a new article has just come out about this. Here’s a taste:
“In an era when the value of higher education has come under scrutiny, it’s refreshing to see a resurgence in character education at U.S. colleges and universities. According to the Higher Education Research Institute, 85 percent of faculty polled across 140 institutions believe that developing moral character is part of their role. They recognize that building students’ character can support their academic research and that scholars can use qualities such as curiosity and empathy to develop lines of inquiry that will support them in their future careers.
Wake Forest University’s webinar, hosted in partnership with Inside Higher Education in April 2026, looked at Wake Forest’s commitment to character education. Its motto, Pro Humanitate, meaning ‘for humanity’, has guided its culture for decades. This means that producing leaders and citizens of good character is part of its DNA, explained Michael Lamb, senior executive director of the Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest.”
Read the full story. There is great work being done here, and we all benefit from it.
Global Gauge: learn about Wake’s global initiatives and reach
Global Wake Forest recently released the Spring 2026 edition of Global Gauge, a semesterly publication showcasing the breadth and impact of University initiatives. While the featured stories represent a snapshot of the global engagement taking place across Wake Forest University, they reflect a shared commitment among our students, faculty and staff to transcend boundaries and cultivate a truly global campus community. View the current and past editions online.
Need a new laptop for your student? Consider WakeWare
As a reminder, all Wake Forest students must have a laptop. Whether you are an incoming P’30 family, or an older family whose student might want a laptop upgrade ;), we invite you to review our WakeWare laptop program (which includes a four-year on-campus warranty). If you do want to buy, please do so through the University Bookstore.
Personal note: for my student at another college, I opted to buy through their school’s laptop program and have never regretted it a minute. In the times where their laptop had an issue, it was worth my peace of mind to know they could get repairs and a loaner as their laptop got fixed, vs. me having to try and deal with issues from a couple hours away.
Should your student wish to use a laptop they already have, be sure they review the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) requirements to make sure it meets our computing standards.
P’30 weekly message
As we do most Tuesdays this summer, we sent out a weekly message to incoming P’30 families. This week’s is about figuring out a budget for your student. If you missed a message, they are all archived here.
That’s all I’ve got for you today, Daily Deacdom! Enjoy your evening.